Two questions, which I had nominated for priority, were transferred from the Department of the Environment and Local Government to other Departments. I disagree with one of the transfers but I will not argue about it. I simply wish to point out I was not informed of these transfers until the deadline for the nomination of priority questions had passed. I am aware the Ceann Comhairle's Office does not decide transfers but it does rule on the issue of timing.
I was informed that if I had nominated two questions as substitute priorities, these could have been printed on the Order Paper as long as the transfer of the others had occurred prior to printing the Order Paper. Because I did not nominate two substitutes, the questions could not have been replaced even if I had telephoned the Ceann Comhairle's Office before the Order Paper was printed. I believe that is a totally unintentional aspect of our system and I ask the Ceann Comhairle, as chairman of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, to see whether steps can be taken to rectify the matter. Deputies have been seriously discommoded in the House on a number of occasions because of time delays.
